Chapter 13 - Rosa Opened Vittorio’s Final Letter

There had been another letter in Vittorio’s drawer.
Addressed to Rosa.
Alessandro gave it to her unopened.
She waited months before reading it.
Vittorio apologized.
Not cleanly.
He still defended some of his choices.
He wrote that he believed separating Rosa from Alessandro protected
Lily.
He admitted he had no right to make that decision alone.
He had watched from a distance.
Paid for security.
Intervened anonymously when Rosa’s landlord once threatened eviction.
Rosa felt furious.
Then grateful.
Then furious for feeling grateful.
People could harm you while believing they protected you.
They could help you in ways that did not erase the harm.
Rosa kept the letter.
May you like
She did not forgive Vittorio simply because he was dead.
Death did not edit history.